Pamela Dickinson Wins BVNA NI Vet Nurse Of The Year 2012

Back Row- Susie Turner, Hill’s Pet Nutrition; Paula Quinn, NI BVNA Regional Coordinator; Claire Fraser BVNA President Front Row Winners: Vet Emma Dore-Horgan representing Maggie Murphy NI Charity Veterinary Nurse of the Year; Allison Anderson NI ANA of the Year; Shauna Whelan NI Student Veterinary Nurse of the Year; Pamela Dickinson NI Vet Nurse of the Year The winners of The BVNA NI Vet Nurse of the Year award have now been announced. This year, some great nominations have resulted in a tough task for judges deciding on the winners in each of the four categories. The event, supported by Hill’s Pet Nutrition is now in its fifth year and was initiated to help veterinary nurses receive wider recognition of their work. The quality of the nominations reflects growing appreciation of the tremendous efforts nurses put into caring for their patients and animals in the wider community. Pamela Dickinson from Knockanboy Veterinary Clinic in Ballymoney, is NI Vet Nurse of the Year, 2012 Maggie Murphy from Erne Veterinary Group in Enniskillen is NI Charity Vet Nurse of the Year Shauna Whelan from Advance Veterinary Care in Lisburn is NI Student Vet Nurse of the Year Allison Anderson from Glenburn Veterinary Surgeons in County Antrim is NI Animal Nursing Assistant of the Year The winners will receive gift vouchers and trophies to recognise their fantastic contributions to the veterinary nursing profession. Pamela Dickinson, NI Veterinary Nurse of the Year Colleagues and clients alike described Pamela in glowing terms: ‘meticulous and careful’ ‘a tremendous asset to the practice’, ‘sensitive to both people and animals’ and ‘one of the best’, were just some of the phrases used. Pamela was particularly valued not just for ‘one outstanding achievement but consistent, every day dedication and hard work at our clinics’. Whether it’s handling a feisty feral or reassuring a worried owner, Pamela can be trusted to deal with the situation calmly and sympathetically. A ‘shining example’ to the general public, staff and students, Pamela has retained her enthusiasm for learning new skills and has taken on tasks above and beyond the call of duty – including hand rearing many litters of abandoned or orphaned kittens. Maggie Murphy, NI Charity Veterinary Nurse of the Year When it came to deciding who should be NI Charity Nurse of the Year there was one nominee that really stood out. As well as working in Erne Veterinary Group where she can always be depended upon, Maggie also volunteers with both Cats Protection and Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary. She was nominated by many colleagues, clients and pet owners for her efforts to help stray and feral animals. She has single handedly trapped thousands of feral cats for neutering and rehomed many semi-feral cats and kittens. Maggie has been known to travel 60 miles to reunite a cat with its owner and is well known in the local community, with many people regularly calling her to get help with rehoming or obtaining medical attention for animals. She has been known to leave the house at 7am to work with the feral cat population and not return till midnight, in all kinds of weather. If all that wasn’t enough, she also visits nursing homes with her own dog, visits schools and gives talks to schoolchildren and helps care for swans, ducks and other wildife injured by boats on the local river. Shauna Whelan, NI Student Veterinary Nurse of the Year Knowing your pet is in safe hands means a lot to a pet owner, so Shauna’s efforts to show that she cares are greatly appreciated by clients. As one couple put it, “We have witnessed her talk openly and lovingly to the animals in her care in front of owners and then still continue when the owner leaves the premises.” As well as applying ‘best practice’ levels of skill, Shauna is also a great team worker for whom nothing is too much trouble. She was praised for her ‘outstanding personality, personal integrity and thoughtful outlook.’ Allison Anderson, ANA of the Year Although relatively new to veterinary practice, Allison has already impressed her colleagues, “Her thirst for knowledge is backed up by meticulous attention to detail …I believe that at this fledgling stage of her career she has already built up a strong knowledge base…I can see her developing into an excellent nurse.” Allison’s attention to patient care was singled out – she cared for a malnourished stray dog in her own time and arranged his subsequent rehoming. Her ability to identify animals in need of pain relief and high standards of care in monitoring in-patients was valued by her colleagues. She was also praised for her persistence in mastering the tricky technique of handling cats and the effect her cheerful demenour has had on brightening the practice. Paula Quinn RVN MBVNA, Northern Ireland Regional Co-ordinator of the BVNA commented, “It’s been another fantastic year for NI vet nurses. The BVNA is so proud of all the winners and indeed any vet nurse who was nominated deserves praise. Being able to recognise these special efforts is such a fantastic opportunity to say thank you to veterinary nurses.” Speaking on behalf of the sponsors, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Susie Turner thanked everyone involved with the event and congratulated the winners, “As ever, I’ve felt humbled by the efforts of veterinary nurses to care for their patients and animals in the wider community. Everyone at Hill’s is proud to be associated with this event and to support the veterinary community in Northern Ireland.”

More from

• IVC Evidensia assembles expert team to run new £10m referral hospital
• Home delivery service can increase pet health plan sign-ups by 25%
• Research reveals vital clues to help fight anthelmintic resistance
• Lifetime Achievement Award recognises Harrogate vet’s dedication to improving the health and welfare of rabbits
• Bake sale at Leicestershire vet practice for good cause